Platinum modified NiCoCrAlY bondcoat for thermal barrier coating

ABSTRACT

A turbine engine component has a substrate formed from a nickel based superalloy and a platinum modified NiCoCrAlY bondcoat applied to a surface of the substrate. Two methods for forming the platinum modified NiCoCrAlY bondcoat are described herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a platinum modified NiCoCrAlY bondcoat for a thermal barrier coating and a method for forming same.

(2) Prior Art

Turbine engine components are subjected to elevated temperatures as a result of their exposure to high temperature gas. Such exposure can lead to the creation of unwanted defects in the components. To protect the components, bondcoats and/or ceramic topcoats are applied to the surfaces of the turbine engine components.

Despite the existence of such coatings, there is still a need for coatings which provide the components with improved oxidation resistance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an improved coating system for a turbine engine component and methods for forming same.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method for forming a coating on a substrate. The method broadly comprises the steps of providing a substrate, depositing a layer of platinum onto a surface of the substrate, depositing a NiCoCrAlY layer onto the platinum layer, and heat treating the substrate with the deposited layers to form a platinum modified NiCoCrAlY bondcoat.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an alternative method for forming a coating on a substrate. The method broadly comprises the steps of providing a substrate, depositing a NiCoCrAlY layer onto a surface of the substrate, depositing a layer of platinum over the NiCoCrAlY layer, and heat treating the substrate with the deposited layers to form a platinum modified NiCoCrAlY bondcoat.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a turbine engine component broadly comprising a substrate formed from a nickel based superalloy and a platinum modified NiCoCrAlY bondcoat applied to a surface of the substrate.

Other details of the platinum modified NiCoCrAlY bondcoat for a thermal barrier coating of the present invention, as well as other objects and advantages attendant thereto, are set forth in the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals depict like elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a first coating system in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a second coating system in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

As discussed, the present invention is directed to an improved coating system that can be applied to turbine engine components, such as vanes, blades, and seals, that are exposed to high temperature gases. The coating system includes a thin bondcoat that offers oxidation protection to the nickel based superalloy forming the turbine engine component. The bondcoat is a platinum modified NiCoCrAlY coating. The addition of the platinum to the bondcoat improves the adherence of the aluminum oxide scale that forms during use of the turbine engine component.

FIG. 1 illustrates a first sequence for forming a coating system in accordance with the present invention. As shown therein, a nickel based alloy substrate 10 has a surface 12. A layer 14 of platinum is deposited onto the surface 12, preferably using an electroplating technique. For purposes of illustration only, a useful electroplating bath may contain platinum quantities in the range of 17 to 26 grams/liter. The current density may range from 20 to 30 amps per square foot. The time for electroplating will be determined by the required thickness. The electroplating bath temperature can go up to 200 degrees F. The layer of electroplated platinum may have a thickness in the range of from about 0.01 to 1.0 mil. These electroplating parameters are offered merely for purposes of illustration as other platinum electroplating parameters can be employed. The platinum layer also can be deposited by techniques other than electroplating, such as including, but not limited to sputtering, and other deposition techniques.

Thereafter, a layer 16 of NiCoCrAlY material is deposited onto the platinum layer. Preferably, the NiCoCrAlY material is deposited using a cathodic arc deposition process. Techniques for applying the coatings of the present invention by cathodic arc plasma vapor deposition are discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,972,185; 5,932,078; 6,036,828; 5,792,267; and 6,224,726, all of which are incorporated by reference herein. Alternate methods of deposition including, but not limited to, other plasma vapor deposition techniques such as magnetron sputtering and electron beam plasma vapor deposition may be used. When thickness concerns are not present, various thermal spray techniques such as low pressure plasma spray and HVOF (high velocity oxy-fuel) techniques may be utilized. The NiCoCrAlY material which is deposited may have a composition comprising from about 4.0 to 25 wt %, preferably from about 4.0 to 18 wt %, chromium, from about 2.0 to 28 wt %, preferably from about 2.0 to 24 wt %, cobalt, from about 5.5 to 15 wt %, preferably from about 5.5 to 13.5 wt %, aluminum, from about 0.1 to 1.6 wt %, preferably from about 0.1 to 0.8 wt %, yttrium, up to about 2.0 wt %, preferably from about 0.001 to 0.4 wt %, hafnium, up to about 2.0 wt %, preferably from about 0.001 to 0.7 wt %, silicon, from about 3.0 to 12 wt %, preferably from about 3.0 to 10 wt %, tantalum, from about 1.0 to 12 wt %, preferably from about 1.0 to 9.0 wt % tungsten, from 1.0 to 10 wt %, preferably from about 1.0 to 5.0 wt % rhenium, up to 2.0 wt %, preferably from 0.001 to 1.0 wt %, zirconium, up to 4.0 wt %, preferably from about 0.001 to 2.0 wt %, niobium, up to about 4.0 wt %, preferably from about 0.001 to 2.0 wt %, titanium, from about 0.2 to 6.0 wt %, preferably from about 0.2 to 4.0 wt %, molybdenum, and the balance nickel. The coating may also comprise up to 2.0 wt % of other elements as impurities. The yttrium in the coating improves the adherence of the aluminum oxide scale layer 18 which is formed during use. Sulfur would usually migrate to the aluminum oxide scale layer 18; however, the presence of yttrium prevents this from occurring.

Following deposition of the NiCoCrAlY material, the substrate 10 with the deposited layers 14 and 16 is subjected to a diffusion heat treatment. The diffusion heat treatment is carried out at a temperature in the range of from about 1200 to about 2100 degrees Fahrenheit for a time period in the range of from about 2.0 to 15 hours. The diffusion treatment is preferably carried out in an inert gas atmosphere such as an argon atmosphere. The fully heat treated platinum modified NiCoCrAlY bondcoat may have a platinum content in the range of from 5.0 to 0.70 wt %, preferably from 10 to 60 wt %, and a thickness in the range of from about 1.0 to 5.0 mils. The bondcoat typically forms a dense three-dimensional interconnected two-phase microstructure with grains sizes ranging from 0.5 to 30 microns. Platinum may be substituted by palladium, rhodium, iridium, and mixtures thereof.

Once the bondcoat is formed, a ceramic topcoat 20 may be applied using any suitable ceramic composition known in the art. A preferred composition for the ceramic topcoat 20 is yttria stabilized zirconia such as 7.0 wt % yttria stabilized zirconia. Other favored compositions include zirconia based pyrochlores, 5.0 to 60 mol % gadolinia stabilized zirconia, and zirconia stabilized with various lanthanide sesquioxides and mixtures thereof described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,730,422, which is incorporated by reference herein. The ceramic topcoat layer 20 may have a thickness in the range of from about 1.0 to 50 mils, preferably from about 3.0 to 15 mils.

The ceramic topcoat 20 may be applied using any suitable electron beam-physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) technique known in the art. A preferred deposition technique is electron beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD). Ceramic coatings are preferably applied to bondcoated substrates at substrate temperature ranging from about 1700 to 2200 degrees Fahrenheit, and chamber pressures from about 0.1 to 1.0 millitorr. Deposition time ranges from 20 to 120 minutes using feedstock federates of from about 0.2 to 1.5 inches per hour. Other suitable deposition techniques include thermal spraying, chemical vapor deposition, and other physical vapor deposition techniques including, but not limited to, cathodic arc deposition, sputtering, and thermal evaporation. Either an inert or reactive atmosphere can optionally be used in all of these deposition techniques, as known to be appropriate to one skilled in the art.

When produced by vapor deposition techniques, the ceramic topcoat layer 20 is characterized by a columnar grained microstructure with the columnar grains or columns being oriented substantially perpendicular to the surface 12. The columnar grains or columns extend outwardly from the bondcoat or from an aluminum oxide scale layer, 18 that is intentionally formed on the bondcoat before or during deposition of the ceramic layer 20. In addition, vapor deposition techniques that utilize means to increase the mobility of vapor species on the substrate surface, such as substrate bias or high-energy ion impingement, result in dense equiaxed ceramic coatings. Alternatively, thermally sprayed coatings that form by depositing liquid droplets on the substrate have a porous microstructure consisting of randomly piled frozen splats of liquid. These splats are typically microcracked and typically trap pores between them, resulting in a strain-tolerant microstructure.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown an alternative sequence for forming a coating system in accordance with the present invention. In this method, the bondcoat is formed by depositing the NiCoCrAlY layer 16 onto the surface 12 of the substrate and then depositing the platinum layer 14 over the NiCoCrAlY layer 16. The NiCoCrAlY layer may have the same composition as described above and may be deposited using the technique described above. The platinum layer 14 may have the same compositional range as described above and may be deposited using the electroplating technique described above. The diffusion heat treatment step is performed after the platinum depositing step using the same parameters as described above. The preferred bondcoat thickness is the same as that discussed in the prior method. The ceramic topcoat layer 20 may be deposited as discussed above.

Specimens coated in accordance with the present invention have survived greater than 1000 hours of cyclic oxidation in a burner rig at temperatures in excess of 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is apparent that there has been provided in accordance with the present invention a platinum modified NiCoCrAlY bondcoat for a thermal barrier coating which fully satisfies the objects, means and advantages set forth hereinbefore. While the present invention has been described in the context of specific embodiments thereof, other unforeseeable alternatives, modifications, and variations will become apparent to those skilled in the art having read the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace those alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the broad scope of the appended claims. 

1. A method for forming a coating on a substrate comprising the steps of: providing a substrate; depositing a layer of platinum onto a surface of said substrate; depositing a NiCoCrAlY layer onto said platinum layer; and heat treating said substrate with said deposited layers to form a platinum modified NiCoCrAlY bondcoat.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said substrate providing step comprises providing a substrate formed from a nickel based alloy.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said platinum layer depositing step comprises electroplating said platinum layer on said substrate surface.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said platinum depositing step comprises depositing a layer of platinum having a thickness in the range of from about 0.01 to 1.0 mil.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said platinum in said bondcoat is present in an amount from about 5.0 to 70 wt %.
 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said platinum in said bondcoat is present in an amount from about 10 to 60 wt %.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said NiCoCrAlY depositing step comprises depositing said NiCoCrAlY coating using a cathodic arc deposition process.
 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said NiCoCrAlY depositing step comprises depositing a NiCoCrAlY material comprising from about 4.0 to 25 wt % chromium, from about 2.0 to 28 wt % cobalt, from about 5.5 to 15 wt % aluminum, from about 0.1 to 1.6 wt % yttrium, up to about 2.0 wt % hafnium, up to about 2.0 wt % silicon, from about 3.0 to 12 wt % tantalum, from about 1.0 to 12 wt % tungsten, from about 1.0 to 10 wt % rhenium, up to about 2.0 wt % zirconium, up to about 4.0 wt % niobium, up to about 4.0 wt % titanium, from about 0.2 to 6.0 wt % molybdenum, and the balance nickel.
 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said NiCoCrAlY depositing step comprises depositing a NiCoCrAlY material comprising from about 4.0 to 18 wt % chromium, from about 2.0 to 24 wt % cobalt, from about 5.5 to 13.5 wt % aluminum, from about 0.1 to 0.8 wt % yttrium, from about 0.001 to 0.4 wt % hafnium, from about 0.001 to 0.7 wt % silicon, from about 3.0 to 10 wt % tantalum, from about 1.0 to 9.0 wt % tungsten, from about 1.0 to 5.0 wt % rhenium, from about 0.001 to 1.0 wt % zirconium, from about 0.001 to 2.0 wt % niobium, from about 0.001 to 2.0 wt % titanium, from about 0.2 to 4.0 wt % molybdenum, and the balance nickel.
 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said heat treating step comprises heating said substrate with said deposited layers at a temperature in the range of from about 1200 to about 2100 degrees Fahrenheit for a time period in the range of from about 2.0 to 15 hours to form said bondcoat.
 11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising applying a ceramic topcoat over said bondcoat having a thickness in the range of from about 1.0 to 50 mils.
 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said ceramic topcoat applying step comprises applying a yttria stabilized zirconia topcoat.
 13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said ceramic topcoat applying step comprises applying a zirconia based pyrochlore topcoat.
 14. The method according to claim 11, wherein said ceramic topcoat applying step comprises applying a 5 to 60 mol % gadolinia stabilized zirconia topcoat.
 15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising applying a ceramic topcoat over said bondcoat having a thickness in the range of from about 3.0 to 15 mils.
 16. The method according to claim 11, wherein said ceramic topcoat applying step comprises applying said topcoat using an EB-PVD technique and thereby forming said topcoat with a columnar grained microstructure wherein columnar grains are oriented substantially perpendicular to said substrate surface and extend outwardly from the bondcoat.
 17. A method for forming a coating on a substrate comprising the steps of: providing a substrate; depositing a NiCoCrAlY layer onto a surface of said substrate; depositing a layer of platinum over said NiCoCrAlY layer; and heat treating said substrate with said deposited layers to form a platinum modified NiCoCrAlY bondcoat.
 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said substrate providing step comprises providing a substrate formed from a nickel based alloy.
 19. The method according to claim 17, wherein said platinum layer depositing step comprises electroplating said platinum layer on said substrate surface.
 20. The method according to claim 17, wherein said platinum depositing step comprises depositing a layer of platinum having a thickness in the range of from 0.01 to 1.0 mil.
 21. The method according to claim 17, wherein said heat treating step comprises forming said bondcoat so that said platinum in said bondcoat is present in an amount from about 5.0 to 70 wt %.
 22. The method according to claim 17, wherein said heat treating step comprises forming said bondcoat so that said platinum in said bondcoat is present in an amount from about 10 to 60 wt %.
 23. The method according to claim 17, wherein said NiCoCrAlY depositing step comprises depositing said NiCoCrAlY coating using an cathodic arc deposition process.
 24. The method according to claim 17, wherein said NiCoCrAlY depositing step comprises depositing a NiCoCrAlY material comprising from about 4.0 to 25 wt % chromium, from about 2.0 to 28 wt % cobalt, from about 5.5 to 15 wt % aluminum, from about 0.1 to 1.6 wt % yttrium, up to about 2.0 wt % hafnium, up to about 2.0 wt % silicon, from about 3.0 to 12 wt % tantalum, from about 1.0 to 12 wt % tungsten, from about 1.0 to 10 wt % rhenium, up to about 2.0 wt % zirconium, up to about 4.0 wt % niobium, up to about 4.0 wt % titanium, from about 0.2 to 6.0 wt % molybdenum, and the balance nickel.
 25. The method according to claim 17, wherein said NiCoCrAlY depositing step comprises depositing a NiCoCrAlY material comprising from about 4.0 to 18 wt % chromium, from about 2.0 to 24 wt % cobalt, from about 5.5 to 13.5 wt % aluminum, from about 0.1 to 0.8 wt % yttrium, from about 0.001 to 0.4 wt % hafnium, from about 0.001 to 0.7 wt % silicon, from about 3.0 to 10 wt % tantalum, from about 1.0 to 9.0 wt % tungsten, from about 1.0 to 5.0 wt % rhenium, from about 0.001 to 1.0 wt % zirconium, from about 0.001 to 2.0 wt % niobium, from about 0.001 to 2.0 wt % titanium, from about 0.2 to 4.0 wt % molybdenum, and the balance nickel.
 26. The method according to claim 17, wherein said heat treating step comprises heating said substrate with said deposited layers at a temperature in the range of from about 1200 to about 2100 degrees Fahrenheit for a time period in the range of from about 2.0 to 15 hours to form said bondcoat.
 27. The method according to claim 17, further comprising applying a ceramic topcoat over said bondcoat having a thickness in the range of from about 1.0 to 50 mils.
 28. The method according to claim 17, further comprising applying a ceramic topcoat over said bondcoat having a thickness in the range of from about 3.0 to 15 mils.
 29. The method according to claim 27, wherein said ceramic topcoat applying step comprises applying a yttria stabilized zirconia topcoat.
 30. The method according to claim 27, wherein said ceramic topcoat applying step comprises applying a zirconia based pyrochlore topcoat.
 31. The method according to claim 27, wherein said ceramic topcoat applying step comprises applying a 5.0 to 60 mol % gadolinia stabilized zirconia.
 32. The method according to claim 27, wherein said ceramic topcoat applying step comprises applying said topcoat using an EB-PVD technique and thereby forming said topcoat with a columnar grained microstructure wherein columnar grains are oriented substantially perpendicular to said substrate surface and extend outwardly from the bondcoat.
 33. A turbine engine component comprising: a substrate formed from a nickel based superalloy; and a platinum modified NiCoCrAlY bondcoat applied to a surface of said substrate.
 34. A turbine engine component according to claim 33, wherein said bondcoat has a thickness in the range of from 1.0 to 5.0 mils.
 35. A turbine engine component according to claim 33, further comprising a ceramic topcoat and a layer of aluminum oxide scale between said ceramic topcoat and said bondcoat, whereby said bondcoat improves adherence of said aluminum oxide scale.
 36. A turbine engine component according to claim 35, wherein said ceramic topcoat comprises a yttria stabilized zirconia.
 37. A turbine engine component according to claim 35, wherein said ceramic topcoat comprises a zirconia based pyrochlore topcoat.
 38. A turbine engine component according to claim 35, wherein said ceramic topcoat comprises a 5 to 60 mol % gadolinia stabilized zirconia.
 39. A turbine engine component according to claim 35, wherein said ceramic topcoat has a thickness in the range of from 1.0 to 50 mils and a columnar grained microstructure with columnar grains oriented substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate and extending outwardly from the bondcoat and alumina scale.
 40. The turbine engine component according to claim 39, wherein said thickness in the range of from 3.0 to 15 mils.
 41. The turbine engine component according to claim 33, wherein said bondcoat has a three-dimensional interconnected two-phase microstructure with grain sizes from 0.5 to 30 microns.
 42. The turbine engine component according to claim 33, wherein said bondcoat contains from about 5.0 to 70 wt % platinum.
 43. The turbine engine component according to claim 33, wherein said bondcoat contains from about 10 to 60 wt % platinum. 